Timothy rogers



(No Model.)

T. ROGERS.`

IRON FENCE.. Patented Fb 19, 1

N4 PETERS. Pimunimwgzqpherv washington, D C.

*` NITED STATES PATENT VERICE.

y TIMOTHY ROGERs, OE sPRINGEIELD, OHIO, AssIGHOR To THE ROGERs FENCE COMPANY, OE sAME PLAGE.

IRON FENCE.

lsnrcIEIcATIoN forming part of Letters Patent No'. 293,674, dated February 19, 1884. Application nieu March 24', 1883. (No model.)

skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the v accompanying drawings,xand to the letters and. figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specication.

My invention relates to improvements in iron fences.

My invention relates to improvements in that class of iron fences having punched rails.

My invention relates, further, to the manner of fastening the picket-rod, its ornament, and the rail together.

My invention relates, further, to a peculiar construction of the ornament, by which it is Vbetter adapted to be secured to the picket to strengthenthe ornamentconnections with both picket and rail, and at the same time to allow of the adjustment of the fence, if required.

My invention relates, further, to the'railconnections and the means by which they are strengthened.

My :invention relates, further, to the construction of the line-post and its several connections as applied in the fence.

Figure l is a frontV elevation of a picket, a portion of rail -in which Ait is inserted, and one of the rail and brace connections between the pickets of the line-post,-the pickets not being shown. Fig. 2 is ya sectionthrough line y, Fig. 1 Fig. 3 is a cross-section through line x, Fig. 2, enlarged. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a portion of the picket-rod with its engaging-notch. Fig. 5 is a crosslsection of the same through line z, Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a rear Vview of that portion of the ornament which embraces the rail'and picket. .Fig. 7 is a cross-section through line y', enlarged. Fig. 8 is an inside view of the rail-connection seen in Figs.,1 andv 7', lookingfrom rear to front. Fig. 9 is a front view of the foot of the a citii linepost, with parts of two pickets inserted therein, a part being broken away to show the small hole at the bottom of the picket vto let the water escape. A vertical section through the socket for the picket-rod is also shown in l detail. Fig. 10 is a side view of the upper part of the line-post base, with the part seen 'inFig 9 attached.` Fig. 11 is a top view of the same. Fig. l2 is a view, from the under side, ofa piece of rail with va cross-section of the picket inserted and fastened in place without the ornament. y

In this fence I use aT-channel rail, by preference, although other forms of rail may be used with this kind of picket.

The construction of thel picket-rod and the means by which it is engaged with the rail are first in order. The iron rod is rolled with an angle upon -one side, showing in its crosssection a cylinder with an angle upon one side extended beyond the circle ofthe same, as seen in the two cross-sections, Figs. 3 and 5. To

adapt the rail and picket-rod for engagementwithl each other, the railhas a hole of the same shape with the picket punched in it. This hole is made with the angle in the central longitudinal line ofthe rail, in order to allow the picket-rod to be inserted and rotated on its 'axis until the angle is brought to the inner surface of the flange of the rail, which allows the notch e to engage the-edge of lthe rail in the circular part of the hole d, (see Fig. 12,) and brings the angle d in the position to allow of the fastening of the rod, which will be hereinafter. described. At the point where the angle ofthe picket-rod is'cut away to form the notch e the rod is left cylindrical in lits cross-section, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, to allow of its being easily turned in the hole d, to

bring its angle transversely to the line of. the

ter is made to engage both .the rail and the picket-rod. The ornament used is one with a loop atv its upper and lower ends, through which the "picket-rod extends. Thatv part ofthe frame which encircles the picket-rod is made to conform to its surface, those loops upon the front side having arear inner angle, into which the angular part of the picket-rod enters. The two loops c, which connect the main circular frame-bars of the ornament, are bent backward over the front ilange of the rai1,and have upon their rear sides two sprockets, c, which straddle the angle d on the front of the picket-rod. These are driven back by a set-punch, bending the bar c back from its normal position, as seen in Fig. 3. By this means the rod of the picket is prevented from turning out of place. The ma-in frame of the ornament extends over the front of the rail in the usual manner. By reference to the two Figs. 2 and 3, the position of the ornament and its fastenings to both picket and rail can be seen, and the construction of the parts described be fully understood.- NV here the ends of the rails connect, and the line-post is usually set, there is an adjustable box-sleeve, B, incasing the rail ends and connecting them together. It is formed of two short pieces of angle-iron,f, open at the ends, and engaged together at their edges, which have an angular groove, f, in one, on theinside, and an angle, e, formed on the edge of the other, which enters it, as seen in the detail, Fig. 7. These are held together by a bolt, t, which extends through the upper end of the brace h of the line-post C. An inside view of the front section f of the sleeve B is shown in Fig. 8, with the ends of the opposite rails, b, therein. To retain the rails in position, and at the same time allow for expansion and contraction, the railflange has an open notch, g', cut therein, with which a lug, g, cast on the inside of one ofthe angle-pieces f, engages on either side of the fasteningbolt t. rIhe notch has a space on either side of the lug, to allow for any endwise movement of the rails. rlhe lower end of the brace h extends through an oblong hole, i, in the rear end of arm j of the post-base D,whcre it is held in adjustment by a setscrew, t, en tering the end of the arm and engaging the brace. The oblong hole z' allows of the proper adjustment of the brace h.. The front of the base has an elongated vertical hole, p, therein, to admit of a bolt, o', extending down through the vertical oblong slot p of the foot-piece C of the linepost,which crosses the base at right angles. The piece C is in two halves, Z and Z, divided vertically, and has a socket, k, at either end for the insertion of the picket-rods a therein. The hole k is slightly oblong, to allow of the inclination o'f the picket-rod in the direction of the fence-line. At the bottom of each hole k is a smaller hole, o', made by the inward extension of a iiange, o, at the bottom, as seen in the detail view, Fig. 9. rlhis flange allows the lower end of the picketrod to rest thereon, and the small hole gives escape to any water that may collect in the socket. The foot piece sections and their picket-rods are secured together by a bolt, m,

at either side of its center. cylindrical in outer form, and extend high enough to secure the picket-rods firmly. The rod is adjustable therein in line of the fence, as seen in dotted lines, Fig. 9, and also up or down within the socket.

Vhen dispensing with ornaments and their connections, the pickets are turned on their axis, the same as before stated, with angle d on one side next to the inner surface of the rail-iiangc, which may be either to the front or rear side. A notched or forked punch is placed against the rail-fiangc, with its points on either side of the line ofthe angle, and by a blow given to it the notches n are indented into the rail, so as to raisea projection on the inside of the flange on each side of the angle d', thus securing the picket-rod rmly therein, as seen in the view of the under side of the rail, Fig. 12. These indents may be made either above or below the notch e in the picketrod, or on the upper or lower side of the rail, as preferred.

I wish to be distinctly understood as reserving the right to tile a separate application for a patent for the iron rod used in the construction of the picket of this fence.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a punched-rail fence, the combination, with a cylindrical picket-rod formed with an angle on one side and a notch in said angle, and adapted to be engaged with the rail, as described, of an ornament having sprockets cxtending from its frame-bars upon either side of said picket-rod, which, when said framebars are bent -or set back against the rod, will straddle said angle and secure the rod from turning axially, substantially as set forth.

2. In a punched-rail fence, an ornament for a picketrod formed with an angle thereon, having sprockets extending across the line of the rod, and adapted to engage therewith by being set back with a punch beyond the front line of the rail, substantially as set forth.

3. An adjustable sleeve-connection for the rails of an iron fence, consisting of two short angular pieces of iron with engaging angles and grooves on their langes, to retain them in position, and lugs cast on the inside of one of the sections, adapted to engage with notches in the end of the inserted rail, whereby the connection is made and the adjustment sccured, and having a ,fastening-bolt securing the end of the brace ofthe line-post, the two sections of the sleeve, and the rails together, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the T-channel rails b, having notches g, of thel box-sleeve connection B, formed of the two angular sectionsf and f, having lugs g, and each provided with the angles c andthe grooves f, to adapt them for engaging each other, the brace h of the line-post, and the bolt t, by which the whole is secured together, substantially as specified.

5. A footpiece for a line-post in two longi- Thc sockets are IOO IIO

versely to the fence-line, of the foot-piece C,

having the slot p', and the oblong socket-holes 7c, for allowing the adjustment of the picket therein, as set forth.

7. The combination, with the ,ibase D, having the oblong vertical slot p, and the arm j, having the vertical hole c', with inclined sides,

of the brace h and the set-screw i, with their auxiliary connecting devices, as set forth.

8. In a punched fence having a picket adapted to engage with the rail, after being inserted, by a partial rotation on its' axis, the combination, with said picket and rail, of an ornament having its framebars bent over the front of the rail, the ends of said ornament inclosing said picket above and below said rail, and having sprockets extending from its frame-bars upon either side of the angle of the picket, whereby the latter is prevented from turning, as slet forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. TIMOTHY ROGERS. Witnesses:

B. C. CoNvERsE, G. M. GRIDLEY. 

